Our Current Event

Events

Otter Watching Days

Our Current Event

International Otter Survival Fund World Otter Day

#worldotterday

Wednesday 30 May

Only 2 weeks to go...

and we hope that you will be joining in with World Otter Day and raising awareness about just how important they are to the environment, how they suffer as part of the illegal wildlife trade and how much they need our help; Encourage more people to care about and be passionate about otters, just like you, and the louder our voice will be.

Perhaps you have already given it some thought, or maybe this is just a little reminder, but if you can do something extra for World Otter Day to raise otter awareness and raise a wee bit more money to help otters that would be fantastic.

Your support is important to us and the otters, and the more people that know the better.

There are now events happening in 20 countries. You can see where on our map here There are more to come... so keep checking in.

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In 2009 IOSF started Otterly Mad Week and in 2014 this was changed to World Otter Day. The aim of the day is to draw attention to the 13 species of otter - ALL of them are listed in the IUCN Red List. This includes the Eurasian otter which is found in Europe, Asia and North Africa. It is often assumed that this species is doing well as it is beginning to recover in parts of Europe but we know almost nothing about it in the rest of its vast range.

So we need to draw attention to the threats to otters - habitat loss, hunting, illegal trade for furs and pets.

We also need funds to help support people working on otter conservation and caring for individual orphaned and injured otters.

To help you we are adding event and information posters to our Resources page for you to download and print/share. More are being added gradually, so if you do not see your language at the moment, keep checking and it should be available soon.

Many people will be posting and sharing all things otter on social media for #worldotterday. We invite you all to join in too and help to make otters trend. Let us get the world thinking about otters in a positive way.

Please remember, always use #worldotterday in your social media and encourage your family and friends to join in.

Our World Otter Day t-shirts and hoodies are also available at our Teespring.com store - just follow this link. To get yours in time for World Otter Day 7 May is last orders! But, you can still order after this date.

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Winners of the World Otter Day Grants

We offered the opportunity to win a £100 grant towards the cost of putting on an event or carrying out education work, as part of World Otter Day. The response has been fantastic, with applications from all over the world and an interesting variety of projects and ideas. We want to thank everyone who has submitted an application and appreciate their support.

So, the task to choose three winners has not been easy, but after much consideration, the following are to receive £100 from the IOSF World Otter Day grants:

• Ninoslav Đurović, Montenegro -
With children, we will be raising awareness of the importance of otter and identifying otter signs in the field, on an island at Skadar Lake. This event will be recorded and broadcast on TV. A trail camera trap will also be sited on the island and positive results shared on social media.

• The Cardiff University Otter Project, Wales –
Live streaming of otter post mortem to provide a detailed insight into the research undertaken on otters in the UK and why we do post-mortems.

• Godfrey Lubanga, Uganda
To carry out a 10km survey on the Nile, east of Karuma, over a 10 day period. Members of the local community will be involved, and there will be discussion with local fishermen to educate them on the value and importance of otters in the environment.

Congratulations!

About IOSF

The International Otter Survival Fund (IOSF) is one of the world's leading otter charities. In the UK IOSF is the only charity solely dedicated to the conservation, protection and care of otters based on over 20 years of scientific research in the UK and around the world.

IOSF has been vetted and approved to receive grants from CAF America; if you are a US donor wishing to make a tax-deductible contribution to support us, you may give to CAF America and recommend that the grant be made to IOSF.